The 139th Championships at Wimbledon begins on Monday 29 June, marking another chapter in the world’s oldest tennis tournament. As players prepare to compete on the pristine grass courts for the next fortnight, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club continues a tradition that stretches back nearly 150 years.

Founded in 1868 as the All England Croquet Club, the organisation initially focused on croquet before adding lawn tennis to its activities in 1875. In 1877, the club decided to host its first lawn tennis championship to raise funds for repairs to its pony-driven roller. That inaugural tournament, which began on 9 July 1877, featured just 22 men competing for a silver challenge cup worth 25 guineas. Spencer Gore won the final, defeating William Marshall in straight sets before a crowd of approximately 200 spectators who each paid one shilling for the privilege.

Today, the Championships at Wimbledon stands as the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of sport’s most prestigious events.

The champions

Roger Federer holds the all-time record for most men’s singles titles with eight championships (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017). He is followed by Novak Djokovic, Pete Sampras and William Renshaw, each with seven titles.

In the women’s singles, Martina Navratilova reigns supreme with nine championships (1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990). Helen Wills Moody secured eight titles, whilst Steffi Graf, Serena Williams and Dorothea Lambert Chambers each won seven.

Age records

The youngest male singles champion remains Boris Becker, who triumphed in 1985 at just 17 years and 227 days. The youngest female winner was Charlotte “Lottie” Dod, who won in 1887 at 15 years and 285 days. In the Open Era, Martina Hingis holds the record, winning in 1997 at 16 years and 278 days.

At the other end of the spectrum, Arthur Gore (41 years and 184 days) won the men’s title in 1909, whilst Charlotte Cooper Sterry (37 years and 282 days) won the women’s championship in 1908.

The youngest player to win a match at Wimbledon was Kathy Rinaldi in 1981 at age 14. Martina Navratilova holds the record for the oldest woman to win a match, reaching the second round in 2004 at age 47.

Strawberries, cream and champagne

No Wimbledon would be complete without its traditional refreshments. The tournament serves staggering quantities of strawberries and cream during the fortnight. In 2024, approximately 55 tonnes of strawberries were consumed, requiring 13 241 litres of cream across 251 405 portions. Each serving contains a minimum of 10 strawberries, sourced from Hugh Lowe Farms, located approximately 50km from the tournament grounds.

Champagne consumption is equally impressive, with approximately 27 000 to 29 000 bottles typically sold during the two-week event.

The streakers and strange moments

Whilst Wimbledon prides itself on decorum and tradition, the tournament has not been immune to unusual interruptions. The most infamous occurred on 7 July 1996 when Melissa Johnson, a 23-year-old London student, dashed across Centre Court wearing only a tiny maid’s apron during the men’s final pre-match photographs. She ran past finalists Richard Krajicek and MaliVai Washington, lifting her apron as she went. She was escorted off the court by security and given a formal warning.

Mark Roberts, a serial streaker from Liverpool, made multiple appearances at Wimbledon. In 2000, he interrupted a doubles match featuring Anna Kournikova on Court 14, with the slogan “Only the balls should bounce” written on his chest, parodying Kournikova’s sports bra advertising line. In 2002, during a rain delay in the men’s final between Lleyton Hewitt and David Nalbandian, Roberts danced at the net, performed a pirouette and bow, hopped over the net to evade male security guards, and was eventually caught by a security guard.

In 2006, Sander Lantinga (29) from the Netherlands interrupted the women’s quarter-final between Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva, performing a cartwheel on Sharapova’s side of the court before being wrapped in a red blanket and carried off. Sharapova later described the incident as “real bizarre,” whilst Dementieva initially appeared startled before snickering at the absurdity.

These moments, whilst departing from Wimbledon’s genteel image, have become part of the tournament’s colourful history, reminding spectators that even at sport’s most traditional event, the unexpected can occur.

Sources: Guinessworldrecords.com; historicuk.com; espn.com; wimbledon.com